is pressing me to sell.'
'Why you?'said Osborne.
Abel explained how he had come to own the group's shares without actually owning the hotels. Henry Osborne was somewhat surprised.
'Surely the bank can see for themselves how well you ran that hotel? Every businessman in Chicago is aware you were the first mana,er ever to make a profit for Davis Leroy. I know the banks are groing through hard times, but even they ought to know when to make an exception for their own good.'
'Not this bank.'
'Continental Trust?' said Osborne. 'I've always found old Curtis Fenton a bit starchy but amenable enough.'
'It's not Continental. The hotels are owned by a Boston bank called Kane and Cabot!
Henry Osborne went white and sat down.
'Are you all right?' asked Abel.
'Yes, I'm fine.'
'You don't by any chance know Kane and Cabot?'
'Off the record?' said Henry Osborne.
'Sure.'
"Yes, my company had to deal with them once before in the past.' He seemed to be hesitating. 'And we ended up having to take them to court!
'Why?'
'I can't reveal the details. A messy business. Let's just say one of the directors was not totally honest and open with us.
'Which one?'asked Abel.
'Which one did you have to deal withe'Osbome enquired.
'A man named William Kane.'
Osborne seemed to hesitate again. 'Be careful,' he said. 'He's the world's meanest son of a bitch. I can give you all the low - down on him if you want it, but that would be strictly between us!
'I certainly owe him no favours,' said Abel. 'I may well be in touch with you, Mr. Osborne. I have a score to settle with young Mr. Kane for his treatment of Davis Leroy.'
'Well, you can count on me to help in any way I can if William Kane is involved,' said Henry Osborne, rising from behind his desk. 'But that is strictly between us. And if the court shows that Desmond Pacey burnt the Richmond and no one else was involved, the company will pay up the same day. Then perhaps we can do some more business with all your other hotels.'
'Perhaps,'said Abel.
He walked back to the Stevens and decided to have lunch and find out for himseLf how well they ran their main dining room. There was another message at the desk for him. A Mr. David Maxton wondered if Abel was free to join him for lunch at one.
'David Maxton,' Abel said out loud, and the receptionist looked up. 'Why do I know that name?'he asked the staring girl.
'He owns this hotel, Mr. Rosnovski.'
'Ah, yes. Please let Mr. Maxton know that I shall be delighted to have lunch with him.' Abel glanced at his watch. 'And would you tell him that I may be a few minutes late?'
'Certainly, sir,' said the girl.
Abel went quickly up to his room and changed into a new white shirt, wondering what David Maxton could possibly want.
The dining room was already packed when Abel arrived. Ile head waiter showed him to a private table in an alcove where the owner of the Stevens was sitting alone. He rose to greet Abel.
'Abel Rosnovski, sir.'
'Yes, I know you,' said Maxton, 'or, to be more accurate, I know you by reputation. Do sit down and let's order lunch.'
Abel was compelled to adn - &e the Stevens. The food and the service were every bit as good as those at the Plaza. If he were to have the best hotel in Chicago, he knew it would have to be better than this one.
The head waiter reappeared with the menus. Abel studied his carefully, politely declined a first course and selected the beef, the quickest way to tell if a restaurant is dealing with the right butcher. David Maxton did not look at his menu and simply ordered the salmon. Ile head waiter scurried away.
'You must be wondering why I invited you to join me for lunch, Mr.
Rosnovski.'
'I assumed,' said Abel, laughing, 'you were going to ask me to take over the Stevens for you.'
'You're absolutely right, Mr. Rosnovski.'
It was Maxton's turn to laugh. Abel was speechless. Even the arrival of their waiter wheeling a trolley of the finest beef did not help. The carver waited. Maxton squeezed some lemon over his salmon and continued.
'My manaler is due to retire in five months' time after twenty - two years of loyal service and the assistant manager is also due for retirement very soon afterwards, so I'm looking for a new broom.'
'Place looks pretty clean to me,' said Abel.
'I'm always willing to improve, Mr. Rosnovski. Never be satisfied with